sign in sign up
<<
Home , Eurovision Song Contest, Rotterdam Ahoy

TOTAL PRODUCTION INTERNATIONAL LIVE EVENT DESIGN & TECHNOLOGY • JUNE 2021 • ISSUE 262 • ISSUE 2021 • JUNE & TECHNOLOGY DESIGN EVENT LIVE

EUROVISION SONG CONTEST 2021 Live music makes a triumphant return SONO FUORI DI TESTA, MA DIVERSO DA LORO… DA DIVERSO MA TESTA, DI FUORI SONO

I

CIRCUS: THE FIRST DANCE • SEFTON PARK • THE BRIT AWARDS • PRODUCTION FUTURES ONLINE 2021 JUNE 2021 TEDUA: DON’T PANIC • CROWDED HOUSE: TO THE ISLAND • IN PROFILE: COLLABORATIVE CREATIONS #262

PRODUCTION PROFILE

EUROVISION SONG CONTEST 2021 Following a fallow year, Eurovision Song Contest returns with a technologically advanced showcase in front of a 3,500-strong crowd in Ahoy and broadcast live to millions of viewers across the globe. EUROVISION SONG CONTEST 2021

With its global fanbase having to wait an extra year, the 65th edition automated lighting fixtures, 506 electric chain hoists, 298 speaker cabinets, of Eurovision Song Contest (ESC) was back, much to the pleasure of 220 tonnes of static load, and more – making this year’s showcase one of those watching at home and the lucky 3,500 fans and delegates able the biggest live productions the world has witnessed since the onset of the to attend the event in-person. With around 183 million television and COVID-19 pandemic. online viewers, produced by NPO, NOS and AVROTROS on behalf of EBU, The core Ampco Flashlight team comprised Account Director, Dennis organisers pulled out all the stops to present a landmark showcase of van der Haagen; Deputy Account Director, Marc van der Wel; Project live music and technical ingenuity. Following an interactive backstage Director, Marco de Koff, among others. “After an elaborate official European tech tour via Zoom, TPi put some questions to the core creatives, tender process, we were more than pleased to be awarded rigging, lights suppliers and technicians involved in perhaps the largest production the and audio,” said van der Haagen. “We combined the experience we gained continent will see this year. from doing rigging and lights in Portugal in 2018 with our extensive audio Sightline Productions’ Erwin Rintjema headed up a brand-new track record on the cross roads of broadcast and live music events. This technical and production team. “ was asked to join as Head of Production approach was also reflected in the crew we selected.” very early on, almost as soon as the won the ESC in 2019. At ESC was selected as a pilot for COVID-19 safe events in the Netherlands. Sightline Productions, we specialise in large live music and TV shows, so I As well as the 3,500 socially distanced audience, organisers welcomed guess I appeared on the radar naturally,” Rintjema said. “I was honoured. delegates from each of 39 participating countries. Of course, the event ESC is a bucket list show for me, so I gladly jumped on board. In the interest incorporated comprehensive health and safety precautions to ensure the of the production, I decided to detach my commitment to ESC from my safety of the artists, audience and technical production crew involved. company, to ensure complete independent focus.” “We started working on various scenarios very early on and from a As the Head of Production, Rintjema was responsible for the entire ESC production point of view, quickly made the call to go for a production technical and logistical operation. From set, stage, lighting and broadcast and venue layout in which all possible scenarios would work,” Rintjema facilities in the main arena, through to the venue layout, office spaces, explained. “That, combined with a very thorough health and safety delegation dressing rooms, press centre and even working with the show protocol, allowed us to keep the virus out.” and contest team to create the best possible performances on stage. It was With 39 separate ‘clients’ – the 39 participating countries, each with a monumental task, which required the collective expertise of a trusted their own creative team, designers, performers and budgets – Rintjema team of creatives, technicians and suppliers to bring the vision to life. All and his team had to be on top of their game. “The sheer scale of the show is contracts were won after a competitive European tender procedure. enormous in every aspect, which meant we had to ensure we got the best ESC’s suppliers of choice comprised: Ampco Flashlight for lighting, team possible on the job,” he commented. “We focussed on providing our audio and rigging; Faber Audiovisuals for video; NEP and EMG joint for this artists the best possible tools to create 39 unique performances on stage, project for broadcast and augmented reality; Opertec for special cameras and I think, in the end, that showed.” and cranes; The Powershop; Stage Kinetik for automation; Unbranded; Interstage; Pyrofoor; Resal Laser; Riedel Communications; and Broadcast ‘THE BEST OPERATORS AVAILABLE’ Rental for the remote green room, among others. The collection of Set Designer, Florian Wieder worked closely with the broadcast team, ESC suppliers held little back in terms of tech deployment. Ampco Flashlight designers and the production team to curate the set, which comprised alone provided around 4,200m of speaker cables, 2,653m of trussing, 1,782 multiple performance areas with a ‘flat horizon’, inspired by the canals and

24 EUROVISION SONG CONTEST 2021

bridges that connect land and water in the Netherlands. “I devised a ‘waves’ or scene. Despite containing relatively low fixture numbers, the lighting style design on the stage in an abstract way which is inspired by Dutch rig featured more powerful lights that packed a punch – especially when design – highly functional, understated, and featuring linear lighting. It’s all partnered with motion elements, doors, banners, and drop arms. In a about organisation, like the people of the Netherlands,” he explained. show that featured everything from AR elements to complex follow-spot The design process involved converting Wieder’s initial sketches of automation, Van Beek was elated by the “distinctive” looks he was able to the stage into photorealistic renders. Once the design was signed off, the offer. “We were asked to design a modern look and feel with our own style, renders were handed over to the art directors to convert into a scaled which included the integration of the green room,” he reported. CAD-3D model and then later to floor and section plans as well as detailed With such an array of tech possibilities, it would have been easy to fall drawings for all set parts and video screens. “We usually bring the audience into option paralysis, but as the Head of Lighting explained, the goal was close to the action. This year, we can’t do that, so we replaced the stage always about making the right choices in what to create as a combination of side audience with delegation tables to fill the gaps,” Wieder explained. “I lighting and all other visual elements. like the simplicity of this design, which is only achievable through teamwork “Flexibility and cooperation between all creatives – including AR, video of producers, directors, and creatives – it’s a collective vision.” content, set design – had to be seamless,” Van Beek recalled. “We always Art Director, Cuno von Hahn and Art Director / Project Manager, Per Arne kept the interest of our general design in mind, supporting the delegations Janssen managed the project, overseeing regular meetings with all the to make their act as good as possible.” suppliers and production crew and developing design ideas for opening ESC Head of Video Content, Falk Rosenthal of Gravity made the AR and interval acts. Unbranded Account and Project Manager, Antoine De and LED wall content. “Eurovision is always a demanding production,” Haas and Project Manager, Miranda Koopman were brought in to oversee he began. “This is my seventh year, but the challenge doesn’t change – decor. A team of 35 were closely involved in the construction and more creating content for all the various performances is tough. We brought in AR than 20 trailers with equipment for decor. Unbranded CCO, Olivier Monod in 2019, but Rotterdam was the next step in pushing things forward. I’m sure de Froideville, commented: “Unbranded was proud to be able to make this show will influence the next generation of show productions.” an important contribution to this international mega-event and to bring The lighting team had control over the quantity of lighting output of the Florian Wieder’s designs to life.” LED wall and floor. “We made sure we kept the same colour temperature Henk-Jan van Beek of Light-H-art described how he picked his ESC balance between lighting and video, keeping the white and level balances crew: “I included a broad team of the best operators available – three of video, front light and follow spots matching,” reported van Beek. with theatre backgrounds, two with EDM experience, and many from TV this orchestra of light was always going to require a sizeable and broadcast. I was only able to achieve my vision with the right crew – control setup. Ampco Flashlight supplied 14 MA Lighting grandMA3 light specifically Associate LDs, Bas de Vries and Joost Wijgers for stage design, consoles and 32 active grandMA3 processing units (PUs). and Martin Beekhuizen, who managed the interests of 39 delegations.” Along with an arsenal of lighting fixtures at their disposal, the design This year, the visual team were able to harness the openness of the set team also had another fleet of virtual lights to further the collective creative and motion elements to shape the aesthetic and narrative of each song vision. The virtual lights in augmented reality were controlled by several

26 EUROVISION SONG CONTEST 2021

Art-Net universes. There was a connection with the disguise media servers The core lighting crew comprised Head Lighting Designer, Henk-Jan to control the intensity of the LED screens and even use the lights around van Beek; Associate Design/Delegations Liaison/Followspots, Martin the LED screens as an ‘ambilight’ effect. house lights were Beekhuizen; Associate Designer, Bas de Vries; Gaffer Light, Bart van also connected to the system. Monitoring of the universes and fixtures Stiphout; Operator Key Light/Followspots/Assistant LD, Joost Wijgers; was achieved by dmXLAN, Network Monitoring via PRTG. All fixtures were Operator/Assistant LD, Micky Dordregter; and Showlight/Audience/Set and addressed via RDM and tested with the FixtureTester App. Prop Lighting Operators, Robbert Jan Vernooij, Andre Beekmans, Erik Jan Follow spots were situated at various angles to avoid collision with fly Berendsen and Bas Geersema. cams or other objects. “We had a great liaison between the delegations and The Ampco Flashlight team comprised PM, Ruud Werkhoven; Crew our lighting FOH crew,” Van Beek noted. There were 12 RoboSpot stations Chiefs, Tijs Winters and Martin Hoop; Lead Systems Tech, Roy Aarninkhof; with 14 cameras, which controlled several BMFL WashBeams, BMFL and Lead Systems Tech for Remote Follow Spots, Dennis Berkhout. Followspot LTs and Motion-Cams. These were controlled by MA Lighting SFX was controlled by an MA Lighting grandMA3 light console, while grandMA3 light consoles through Art-Net and all connected in a redundant pyro was controlled by a Pyrodigital FC-A field controller. By providing five network for the 26 cameras and the DMX-RDM data. The second spot separated Pyrodigital network drivers, the FC-A field controller provided options came in the form of a Follow-Me system. redundancy and enhanced firing power. In show mode, every cue was Follow-Me 3D SIX with three console sets operated multiple lights preprogrammed and triggered by timecode. as follow spots, allowing 64 calibrated fixtures to be operated in any Pyrofoor created a complete digital 3D environment for both SFX and combination at the same time – namely, 58 Ayrton Huracán-Xs and six Robe pyro, using Finale 3D for the pyro and Syncronorm Depence² for the special BMFL WashBeams. PosiStageNet communicated with these positions and effects. For the first time in the history of ESC, all suppliers were able to Follow-Me kept all follow spots exactly on target accordingly. With three visualise the effects in advance. “The use of the visualisation software is a targets available, grandMA3 controlled which fixture(s) should be aimed at powerful tool in the communication with production and delegations,” said which target. Pyrofoor Project Controller, Lucas Gerritzen. “It gives us the ability to share Show lighting came in the shape of 481 Claypaky Xtylos; 161 Ayrton the effects and timing in advance to all parties.” Huracán-Xs, 140 Mini-Panel FXs and 64 Karif-LTs; 396 Robe Spiiders, 220 Pyrofoor Show Manager, Jessy Maas, added: “We want to be sure the LEDBeam 150s and 25 Tetra 2 Battens; 100 GLP impression FR-10 Bars show is predictable and safe every time. We use strict protocols, which and 40 JDC1s; as well as 10 Astera AX-2 Bars. For atmosphere, the team are implemented in advance in our risk assessments. We use digital safety deployed four MDG ATMes, two M3es, four Look Viper NT Fog machines and channels as well as physical emergency stops. We train the crew to watch 10 Martin by Harman AF-1 MK2 fans. and give clearance to the operators. No clearance, no go!” Ayrton Húracan-Xs were used as main key light and Follow-Me follow Resal Laser provided four LaserAnimation Phaenon X30000 30W RGB spot key light (40 units, in drop arms, 24 side and backlight), and Robe BMFL lasers with on-board DSP control systems and remote safety access, as front key light and front follow spot light. “It was a fantastic experience,” including two DSP controllers at both sides of the arena. The lasers were said Van Beek. “My wonderful team did an amazing job. Their experience pre-programmed to timecode and in Capture, which was also used for made this monumental task achievable. We made our own choices in pre-programming cameras, lights, video and motion. The Resal Laser team what to create as a combination of lighting and all other visual elements. comprised PM, Michel Povee; Senior Programmer / Operator, Remco Borsje; Flexibility was key to making this the best show possible.” and back-up crew members, Koen Janssen and Robert Dame.

27 EUROVISION SONG CONTEST 2021

Audio FOH; Mounting Ayrton Mini Panels with mirrors on the back of the revolving doors; Lead Systems Tech for Remote Follow Spots, Dennis Berkhout operates a Follow-Me system; , Tom Gelissen.

‘SOUND QUALITY AND SPECTRUM EFFICIENCY’ with the same setup as in the arena, with IEMs on different frequencies, Sounding out the show, Jeroen ten Brinke assumed the role of Audio transmitter packs and handhelds. Looking skyward, the main stage Designer. “I was given free rein on the design,” he began. “I had seen the L-Acoustics PA system comprised 76 K1s, 36 KARAs, four SB18s, six X12s setup in Lisbon where Daniel Bekerman was sound designer and the first and 18 KS28s, amplified by 84 LA12Xs. Monitoring was handled by 10 thing I did was call him. We created our design and then listened to him to L-Acoustics KARAs, eight Synco CW152 wedges and four CW121s. The make sure we were doing the right thing.” under balcony featured 10 L-Acoustics 5XTs, driven by two Outline Newton A main and backup loop comprised two DiGiCo Quantum 7 consoles, processors and 10 Lake LM44s. two SD racks, and a DiGiCo SD9 console. Driven by a redundant system via The greenroom included 56 Synco TRC81s, 40 L-Acoustics K2s and 16 Lake LM44, Outline Newton and switches, and an L-Acoustics PA system. KARAs. The main venue wireless system specifications included 20 Shure “I wanted to have the consoles as close together as possible, with short Axient Digital Quad receivers, 24 Shure ADx2FDs, 14 Shure ADx2s, 24 Shure cables that were easy to troubleshoot,” Ten Brinke explained. “The monitor ADx1 beltpacks, 100 DPA 4088s, 36 DPA D-facto heads, and 120 DPA Korfs. desk was behind glass, so the monitor engineer didn’t have any problems “With Shure’s Axient Digital, we found the perfect system to monitor with the spill from the PA. The consoles were situated approximately 1.5m and coordinate the complex audio setup that Eurovision required, in which apart, so the team could interact. This made things easier, more fun and sound quality and spectrum efficiency are key,” said Ampco Flashlight meant we could keep spirits up for the month we were on site.” Wireless Coordination Technician, Aart Heus. “Shure’s Wireless Workbench Another reason for the position of the consoles was the required speed was the most qualified software for it. The hardware not only provides of changeovers. “You’re always in the way at the side of the stage, or in the control and stability, but it is also trustable and reliable.” camera view. We were on the top of the first rake and all together – no long IEMs came in the shape of 11 Shure PSM1000 transmitters, 70 P10R cable runs, only to the PA and a few analogue inputs for backup mics,” Ten IEM receivers and 240 SE425s. Strict COVID-19 protocols were followed, Brinke said. “The rest was all local.” including no direct contact between monitor engineers and talent, with A redundant loop was set up for monitors and FOH systems, based on one IEM and one mic capsule specified per performer and handheld mics DiGiCo and fibre networks with inputs from Shure wireless systems, along cleaned every three minutes. with playbacks by three Mac Minis, a trio of RME MadifacexT and a Directout Ampco Flashlight Project Manager, Remco Verhoek and his team had to Madi switcher, both through a DiGiCo Orangebox. Also present on the rig make a proof of concept before putting custom racks together. “I made sure were two Yamaha CL1s, two Rio 1608-2s and two Yamaha Rio 3224-2s. that all the gear specified within the pitch was supplied, making it work as Timecode ran through the desk, so the Quantum 7’s double power a whole, putting the team together and looking after the functioning of the supply and engine made the engineers happy. “If the timecode stops, equipment and of the people,” he recalled. everything stops, as all departments are running through our timecode,” While Ten Brinke specified the audio equipment, given the complexity Ten Brinke stated. “That’s the most important function on monitors. These of the system, stakes were high. “With all the experience we have with machines are so safe and reliable. I’ve done a lot of big shows with them, so DiGiCo, it was a good setup and straightforward for us,” Verhoek said. “The I trust them. The most important thing is safety. It just can’t stop working.” infrastructure performed as we hoped without a single issue. There was a Also at the audio team’s disposal was a dedicated soundcheck room backup setup, but we didn’t have to make use of it.”

28 EUROVISION SONG CONTEST 2021

The core audio team comprised Audio Designer, Jeroen ten Brinke; Ampco trusses with dedicated hoists. Sixteen chain hoists were then tasked with Flashlight Project Manager, Remco Verhoek; Monitor Engineers, Ron flying LED screens. A further five trusses were dedicated to augmented Peeters and Peter Velthuijzen; FOH Engineers, Tom Gelissen and Ronald reality, hosting 100 reference points in the grid for the camera team to Koster; Playback Engineers, Willem de Bruin and Robert Jansen; Lead IEM bring AR to life. For automation, 40 drop-arms were used as a telescopic and RF Tech, Aart Heus and RF Engineer, Johalee Glastra; and PA System headlight holder that could be moved vertically from the ceiling. Technician, Jurriën Hildebrand. Involved in eight previous iterations of ESC, Head of Video, Hans Cromheecke was the glue between the technical departments operating VISION OF THE FUTURE screens and content. “Eurovision has always been a job where the limits of While bombastic performances often steal the headlines at ESC, away from AV are reached and broken with new technologies,” he commented. “It is a the on-stage choreography, there is an equally impressive wild circus with over 180 million people watching all over the world!” being held in the rafters – electric motors, hydraulics and pneumatics are Faber Audiovisuals supplied all LED, media servers, video equipment designed to seamlessly move kit around in a symphonic fashion. and crew. Project Managers, Ben Augenbrou and Steve Ackein oversaw the As curators of this year’s proverbial ballet of automated technology, deployment of 887 sq m LED video screens – specifically 6m of ROE Visual supplied by Stage Kinetic, where production rigger Michiel Peters and Strip 9.3mm for the Maltese band; 110 sq m of Vanish 8 for the runaway house rigging company Frontline Rigging oversaw 285 tonnes of dynamic screen; 3.6 sq m of CB5 for AfroJack’s DJ booth; 127.1 sq m of BM4 for Stage load, at 220 ton static, with the deployment and supervision of Lodestar A and 27.1 sq m for Stage B; 508 sq m of BQ4 4.6mm for the backdrop and chain hoists and BroadWeigh load cells. Audio alone featured 50 hoists, 48 sq m for A Stage truss covers; 7.5 sq m of DM2.6; and 59 sq m of Unilumin while lighting boasted 208 hoists situated throughout the venue from Utile for audience screens, as well as disguise media servers. above the stage to up high in the bleachers in addition to several trusses “Everybody was impressed by the very high level that was brought containing moving objects, monitored by load cells. by all parties under direction of the people from Sightline Productions,” The Opertec camera crew were provided 22 hoists with three rigging Augenbrou said. “This event has raised the bar in terms of organisation and structures for the rail camera, fly camera and fixed flown camera positions. technical solutions.” Decor and the set build saw the deployment of 13 hoists – 12 for the load-in For projection, Faber Audiovisuals supplied two Barco 30K UDX-4K32s, on and off stage and for the build, with one separate hoist used to lift the three Panasonic 10K PT-RCQ10s and a 20K PT-RZ21K. The team also bridge between the A-Stage and the B-Stage, allowing larger pieces of provided TV displays across site, including a Philips BDL9870EU AutoCue, tech to be moved from left to right if required. The pyro department was as well as almost 100 LG, Sony and Samsung LCD TVs. The media server provided with 11 trusses for effects. and control setup featured a pair of Barco E2 Tri-Combo switchers, an Stage Kinetics also created a support grid for automation and video, EC-50 event controller, eight disguise gx 2c and four vx4 media servers with which featured a combination of 30, 2,000kg and 28, 1,000kg electric chain integrated Notch. The visual content was networked by a Synology Nass hoists and 37 manual lever hoists. Cloud server and three Netgear mainframe switches. For lighting, video and audio, the team created decks so each It was clear for the team involved that ESC 2021 was not going to be any department could easily build their power and data racks on the ground other incarnation of the event to date. “We all knew that we had to make before flying the kit, keeping the catwalks clear of equipment while being this work in a very difficult and unprecedented situation,” Ackein added. accessible. Part of lighting cabling was run through dedicated cabling “The sheer scale of the event in terms of the amount of equipment, crew

BECAUSE IS OUR HOME WE SUPPORT EVERY ARTIST NOT IN POINTS, JUST RAW KILOWATTS

AS A PROMISE

WHEREVER THE WINNER COMES FROM, WE’LL GO THERE TOO

WWW.THEPOWERSHOP.EU

29 EUROVISION SONG CONTEST 2021

and duration of the event possessed a challenge that was well handled tender, both media parties were commissioned by the NOS to take care during the preparation phase.” of the registration, including all technical facilities, crew and equipment, A ‘turnable’ LED wall was divided into four sections – featuring two side of the three live shows at Rotterdam Ahoy. NEP supplied the AR-platform, wings and two rotating walls in the middle. The rotating walls were 9m wide while Gravity supplied the AR and LED screen content. and 12m high. elements closed without gaps using a magnetic “We are enormously proud that two Dutch companies got the locking system. Together, four motors were able to turn the wall by 180° opportunity to capture this huge music event,” commented NEP Managing in around 16 seconds to make the back of the LED wall visible, which was Director, Ralf van Vegten. “The ESC is an event that connects people and equipped with a matrix of 70 moving-head lights. In front of and behind something the public really looks forward to. That’s why the expectations each rotating LED wall, around 60 sq m of stage floor was also rotated. The and quality standards are higher than ever before.” side LED wings sat with their brackets on a steel chassis, each of the 18 United CEO, René Delwel added: “It’s nice to see how the two steel trolleys could accommodate four rows of LED modules. companies are working together as one team for this enormous event. We The high level of operational reliability demanded by the EBU required consider the 65th edition of the Eurovision Song Contest to be unique and the team to provide a fully redundant system. “We are proud of the of great national importance. Our people are very aware of that and work solutions we provided, the way we put them into practice and delivered hard to deliver the best solutions and results.” flawlessly,” Augenbrou continued. “This has been a unique chance for us To ensure sound quality and reliability, NEP equipped its UHD1 to show to the world what we are capable of. We have gained a lot of extra and UHD2 twin OB trucks with 64-fader Lawo mc²56 consoles, Nova experience and knowledge, which we will be able to use in the future.” routing cores and Lawo’s VSM broadcast control system for control After a year of work away from the sector, Michiel Peters was pleased of the broadcast chain. Two OB trucks were set up in a main/backup to assume the role of ESC Head of Rigging. “We decided to hang most configuration for protection switching. Two further 48-fader mc²56s, of the motion hoists without main grids and lost a couple of tonnes,” he along with monitoring equipment and outboard gear from Lawo Rental, began. The load-in schedule was challenging, Frontline Rigging and Ampco were stationed in a separate Music Room where Music Producer, Tijmen Flashlight had to pull 514 chain hoists and 60 motion hoists, inverted 124kg Zinkhaan mixed the delegation and interval acts. body-up, in 30 hours. Despite the tough task, it was a privilege and an While all broadcast audio connections were streamed via RAVENNA/ honour to work for the ESC 2021, especially amid this pandemic. It was a big AES67, the audio signals for the PA at the Ahoy venue were provided by project, challenging at times, but I would do it again in a heartbeat.” Dante cards inside the Nova routing cores. “There was never any doubt that The Stage Kinetic crew comprised CEO/PM, Jens Buller; Site Manager, Lawo consoles were perfect for this prestigious assignment,” stated ESC Sascha Schaper; Operators, Fabian Röttger, Andreas Homeyer, Ralf Head of Sound, Thijs Peters. “They sound great, their routing capabilities Tiemann and Manuel Dehn; and Construction Department, Kai Adelt and are infinite, our setup integrates seamlessly and can be conveniently and Thorsten Lobert. Ampco Flashlight supplied all of the rigging infrastructure, intuitively controlled via Lawo’s VSM broadcast control system.” overseen by Head Riggers Roald Gluvers and Joey Dunnewijk and Lighting/ Rigging PM, Ruud Werkhoven. The rest of the Ampco Flashlight rigging team COMMUNICATION WAS KEY comprised Crew Chiefs, Dirk Sommer and Christiaan Schutte. With so many moving elements to contend with, communication was key. Riedel was responsible for the delivery of communications, signal ‘THE BEST SOLUTIONS AND RESULTS’ distribution, fibre backbone, accreditation front end, commentary and NEP and United joined forces for the multi-camera production, under access control solutions including associated professional services. supervision of ESC’s Head of Broadcast Gijs Vos. As a result of a European “Since we have the pleasure of being a long-term partner of EBU for our

30 EUROVISION SONG CONTEST 2021

ESC services, the process of each year’s edition is mainly about liaising Song Contest was in the detailed planning and preparation of every with the new host broadcaster in order to align the contractual scope element, while managing a plethora of production stakeholders with their actual concept, way of working and delivery as well as related including performers, producers, designers, suppliers and crew. While TPi requirements,” Riedel’s Thurid Wagenknecht explained. This year marked experienced this year’s celebration of live music and technical proficiency several ESC debuts for Riedel products such as Artist-1024, MediorNet on TV, what transcended through the screen was the creative foundation MuoN and FusioN as well as dedicated COVID-19 feature for this year’s for the choices made in preparation of and during the show in Rotterdam. accreditation and access control. Early on, organisers coined the slogan ‘open up’ or rather, ‘open up Riedel also integrated in the testing environment within the on-venue to each other’, when marketing ESC. Having been given the green light to accreditation process, this year’s specialised access control feature was welcome acts and delegations from 39 countries in Europe, as well as a designed to minimise the risk of COVID-19 transmission. The RFID-based socially-distanced audience of 3,500 people, the ESC doors were well and solution included automatic deactivation of accreditations after 48 hours, truly open, albeit in the ‘new normal’ sense, of open. with re-activation upon submission of a negative COVID-19 test result. Following the devastating effects of COVID-19 – not only on last year’s “ESC 2021 definitely set new benchmarks in delivering an extraordinary proceedings but on the entire sector – we can find solace in the modest show under ‘pandemic circumstances’. Every project comes with its own closing sentiments of ESC Head of Production, Erwin Rintjema. “What a ride set of unique challenges,” Wagenknecht added. “Being in the business for it has been!” he exclaimed. “I feel so fortunate to be able to be part of the over 30 years makes us consider COVID-19 as just another challenge. While Eurovision Song Contest 2021. It is a great honour and a career highlight at we take all these challenges seriously, we meet them as we always have: any time, but to be able to put on this spectacle in 2021 is amazing. with the highest level of flexibility, adaptability and professionalism.” He added: “It has been a rollercoaster and a lot of hard work, with a lot of uncertainty and frustration at times. However, the reward has been ‘WHAT A RIDE IT HAS BEEN’ better than I could have ever imagined. I believe that we have put on a great The Powershop was selected as the technical supplier for show power. The show, in a year where live entertainment is few and far between. I see this entire show ran on power supplied by the company’s modern and efficient project as a sign of the hope and resilience of the sector and a showcase of generators. The power had to be supplied with the highest possible the Dutch live events industry. Although we have only just passed the finish availability with everything redundant in the power design and a generator line, I already miss being a part of ESC, so I guess that says it all!” compound, affectionately referred to as the ‘generator farm’ by the crew, TPi was set up outside Rotterdam Ahoy. Photos: Nathan Reinds and Ralph Larmann The farm boasted six twin 400kVA 20ft generator containers with a total www.eurovision.tv capacity 3.8 MW, an 8,000 amp switch container, 20, 400 Amp power distros, www.stage-kinetik.de www.ampco-flashlight.com over 100 power distros (125, 63,32 amp), 3,500m of 120mm2 powerlock www.sightline.nl www.euromediagroup.com www.ayrton.eu cable sets with a total cable length of 17.5km and 5,000m of power cable. www.light-h-art.nl www.thepowershop.eu www.faber-av.com The entire setup was monitored with Powershop’s Calculus monitoring www.wiederdesign.com www.nepgroup.com www.riedel.net platform and GridVis software. www.adigroup.net www.claypaky.it www.follow-me.nu As with any complex production, the success of the Eurovision www.robe.cz www.shure.com www.digico.biz

Black Quartz Vanish and Black Marble supplied by Faber Audiovisuals

Create the maximum Experience All events have one common factor, your equipment must be reliable at all times. There’s no stopping the show, whatever happens. That’s why the LED screens from ROE Visual are not only of the best quality they are also very reliable, quick to build and easy to service. Whether an out- or indoor event ROE Visual LED products provide the solution to maximize the visual experience for your audience. www.roevisual.com

31